Lionblaze Lost the Lightning
by malicent
Summary: Lionblaze, Hollyleaf and Jayfeather party day and night, but an unexpected twist may put their lifestyle on hold. This is the third book in the series. The party never dies.
1. Prologue

Lionblaze Lost the Lightning

_a/n: this is the third book in the series. First read Lionblaze has a Shadow, then Lionblaze Stole the Stars._

Chapter 1: Prologue

"Jayfeather, quit standing there being useless," Lionblaze huffed, taking a long drag off his cigarette to calm his nerves. "Help a brother out and grab me some pepperoni from the fridge."

"Why can't you get it yourself?" Jayfeather snapped, shooting an annoyed glance at his brother. "You're just sitting there on the couch drinking all my beer and smoking my smokes."

"Can you just grab me the pepperoni?" Lionblaze snapped, using shaking hands to pull another cigarette from Jayfeathers pack. "That's your only job."

"Fine," Jayfeather mumbled, getting up off his chair. "I'd quit smoking and open a window if I were you, Dovewing and her dad are gonna be over any minute."

"After this one," Lionblaze mumbled, lighting the smoke. _Fuck, I've never been so stressed out in my entire freaking life._

Today was the day when Lionblaze and Dovewing were going to announce her pregnancy to her father. Lionblaze had never felt more uncomfortable and awkward in his entire existence.

_I don't think I can do this_

_I've been stalling for weeks_

_I wish I could stall some more_

"Here's your pepperoni," Jayfeather said suddenly, shoving the package in Lionblazes face. "Now put your smoke out and let's air out the room before they get here."

Lionblaze stared at the pepperoni, feeling sick. He took another drag.

"Take it!" Jayfeather snapped, shoving it right up against his nose.

"Unwrap it please," Lionblaze mumbled, not bothering to reach up and grab it. "I need you to unwrap it-"

"For fucks sake," Jayfeather dropped the pepperoni on his lap and stalked back over to his chair. Lionblaze sighed and forced himself to unwrap it himself.

_Man, it feels like I have to force myself to do everything…_

_I wish these stupid nerves would screw off _

Sudden footsteps distracted him, and he immediately turned to look through the window by the door. Dovewing was walking up the steps, with her father behind her. Lionblaze nearly threw up.

_He looks so happy and clueless_

_And I'm gonna be the one that wrecks it  
><em>

"Shit, it's smoky in here," Lionblaze mumbled, dropping his cigarette in an empty coffee mug.

"Told you," Jayfeather sighed.

Lionblaze waved his arms around in an attempt to clear the air before answering the door. He opened it slowly, and tried to wipe the pained look off his face.

"Hey," he managed to say, smiling feverishly at Dovewing and then her dad. He opened the door a bit wider. "Come on in."

"It smells like cigarettes in here," the dad said disapprovingly, narrowing his eyes as he sniffed the air. "I thought you smoked outside."

"I do, but dumbass over here," Lionblaze nodded to Jayfeather. "Likes to just smoke in the house like it's a free for all."

"Hey, that's not true-" Jayfeather started to protest.

"Well, we have some things to talk about," Dovewing broke in, obviously changing the subject. "Dad, why don't you have a seat next to me and Lionblaze on the couch?"

"I wish you would tell me what this is about," the dad said, shaking his head in confusion. "I don't like being left in the dark."

"Well, that's why we're all here," Dovewing laughed nervously. "So you're not in the dark anymore."

Lionblaze felt vomit rise in his throat as Dovewing and her dad settled themselves on the couch.

_I think I'm gonna be sick_

"So," the dad said, looking up at Lionblaze expectantly. "What's going on?"

Lionblaze took a big bite of his pepperoni stick and chewed very slowly, pointing to his mouth to indicate that his mouth was full. Dovewing glared at him.

"How's that pepperoni?" She snapped, crossing her arms.

Lionblaze swallowed it reluctantly. "Tastes like death."

"Can we please get to it?" the dad said, looking down at his watch. "I have to be at work in half an hour."

"One second," Lionblaze mumbled. He turned around and quickly walked into the kitchen. He heard footsteps behind him, and he realized Jayfeather had followed him.

"Idiot," Jayfeather hissed as he shut the kitchen door behind him. "What the hell are you doing? Get out there and face the music."

"Just thought it'd be nice to make some sandwiches," Lionblaze mumbled, grabbing a loaf of bread out of the cupboard. "I'm hungry and I'm sure they are too."

"You just ate a huge piece of pepperoni," Jayfeather growled, grabbing the loaf and throwing it back in the cupboard. "Stop stalling. Her dad's gonna catch on soon, and that's gonna be even more awkward."

"Fine," Lionblaze sighed, walking very slowly over to the fridge.

"What are you doing now?" Jayfeather demanded.

"Just remembered this baloney is going to expire," Lionblaze replied, grabbing a package of baloney out of the fridge. "Better eat it up before-"

"That's enough," Jayfeather grabbed his brother and shoved him towards the door. "Go deal with this."

Lionblaze sighed for what seemed like the zillionth time and walked out of the kitchen, baloney in hand. He walked slowly over to the couch.

"Piece of baloney?" Lionblaze offered, shoving the package forward.

"Yes please," the dad said happily, grabbing a slice.

"No," Dovewing hissed. "Lionblaze, sit down."

"Okay," Lionblaze shoved three pieces into his mouth at once and forced himself to sit on the couch next to her.

"Now that you've _finally _sat down," Dovewing said, glaring at Lionblaze. "How about we tell dad the news?"

"You two are really making my mind wander," the dad said in a concerned voice. "You're not mixed up with drugs are you?"

"No," Lionblaze mumbled. "We're gonna-"

"Are you getting married?" the dad interrupted. Lionblaze inwardly groaned. _Just when I work up the nerve… _

"No, we're not getting married," Dovewing replied. She took a deep breath. "I'm-"

"I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM," Lionblaze hollered suddenly, spewing baloney all over the place.

"LIONBLAZE FOR GODS SAKE," Dovewing screamed.

"I can either throw up in the bathroom or on the floor here," Lionblaze snapped back, clutching his stomach.

"You're not gonna throw up," Dovewing growled angrily.

"I fucking am," Lionblaze squeezed himself, feeling spit rise in his mouth. He got up quickly, feeling shaky.

"YOU'RE NOT SICK, YOU'RE NOT GONNA THROW UP," Dovewing screamed. "SIT DOWN RIGHT NOW!"

Suddenly the door opened, and Hollyleaf walked in.

"Hey guys," she said, looking confused when she saw Dovewings dad. "What's going on?"

Lionblaze couldn't hold it in any longer. He leaned over and threw up pepperoni all over the floor.

"What the hell!" Hollyleaf cried.

"Did you just puke all over the rug?" Jayfeather cried from the other room.

"I'm pregnant," Dovewing sighed.

* * *

><p>Hollyleaf sat nervously on the plastic bench, looking down at her phone for the fifth time.<p>

_My interview was set for twenty minutes ago… what the heck is taking him so long?_

Hollyleaf was applying to be a chef in one of the most high class restaurants in town. It was called Kelly's Steakhouse, and it was the only restaurant in the city with a five star rating. Hollyleaf didn't understand how the manager of such an establishment would let himself be so late for an interview. Hollyleaf looked around, feeling more nervous by the second.

_I know I don't need a job, _she thought, thinking of all the money Lionblaze had won from the lottery. _But I'd go crazy sitting around all day like Lionblaze and Jayfeather… I need something to do._

"Hollyleaf?"

Hollyleafs head snapped up, and her palms instantly got sweaty again. She wiped them on her black jeans and smiled up at the waitress who was speaking to her.

"Ashfur will see you now," the waitress said. "He just walked through the back door."

"Oh, okay," Hollyleaf said shyly, fingering her shoulder length black hair. _I hope it's not sticking up weird… oh god what if it is? _

"I'll bring you to his office," the waitress said. Hollyleaf followed, feeling terribly stressed out. _What am I even doing... I can't cook at all… they're not gonna want to teach me… this is an awful idea._

"Ashfur?" the waitress called, knocking on the door. "I've got a girl named Hollyleaf here who says she's got an interview."

The door opened within a few seconds, and a man looked out at them. He was older, Hollyleaf guessed late thirties. He was wearing shorts and a long sleeved shirt that he had rolled up to his elbows. He stared at Hollyleaf for a few moments with a confused look on his face. Then he sighed and rolled his eyes, rubbing his forehead with his fingers.

"I completely forgot," Ashfur admitted. "I'm sorry about that, Hollyleaf. Come on into my office."

Hollyleaf followed him in, admiring the fancy dark wood desk and leather chair. She took a seat across from his desk and awkwardly fiddled with a button on her red sweater.

"So," Ashfur started, looking at Hollyleaf curiously. "I hear you want to be a cook."

"Yes," Hollyleaf said at once, surprised at how simply Ashfur spoke to her. _He sounds like a regular person, not the boss of a restaurant… strange._

"Why do you want to be a cook?" Ashfur asked. "Most girls want to be a waitress."

"Well, I really like trying new things," Hollyleaf replied a little too fast. _Goddamn it, stop talking so fast. He's gonna think I'm on drugs._

Ashfurs lips twitched as if he was going to smile, and his eyes shined. "You look nervous."

"I am," Hollyleaf admitted, looking down at her fingers. She picked her nail polish awkwardly.

"We don't have any girls in the kitchen right now," Ashfur continued. "There is a lot of work involved, a lot of cleaning. Are you sure you're up for it?"

"Yes," Hollyleaf mumbled.

"I think it might be fun, having a girl chef," Ashfur smiled. "Sure, I'll give you a try."

_What… really?!_

"Aren't you gonna ask me if I can cook?" Hollyleaf blurted out the question before she could stop it. _Shit. Why. _

Ashfur raised an eyebrow. "Can you?"

"I try," Hollyleaf replied carefully. _Well, that's not a lie, I suppose._

"You'll learn," Ashfur shrugged. Hollyleaf was appalled. _I've never gotten a job so easily before… this is so weird. _

"I look forward to have you working for me," Ashfur said, reaching over to shake Hollyleafs hand. "I'll give you a call tomorrow and let you know when you can come in for your first shift."

"Thank you so much," Hollyleaf smiled kindly. She was suddenly glad she had straightened her hair and put red lipstick on.

_I look really nice today, and from the way Ashfurs looking at me, I can tell he noticed._

_Did that have something to do with him hiring me on the spot?_


	2. I Need a Distraction

Lionblaze Lost the Lightning

Chapter 2: I Need a Distraction

"So explain to me again why Hollyleafs getting a job," Scourge said, eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Haven't I explained this to you, like, eight times?" Jayfeather asked, taking a sip of his wine. _I swear he asks me this at least once a day. _"She gets bored way too easy, that's what she told me."

"Fair enough," Scourge said thoughtfully, sipping at his own glass of red wine. "But why _cooking_ of all things? She can't even make a box of macaroni and cheese."

"She's mastered the art of making macaroni and cheese," Jayfeather smiled. "She's got this trick where she can make it taste burnt and undercooked at the same time."

They both laughed at this, and Jayfeather felt even more at ease than he already was. He couldn't help thinking of Cloudtail, and how every single moment with him was filled with stress and anxiety. _Scourge makes it so easy to be comfortable around him, _Jayfeather thought to himself. _I'm never anxious around him… it's strange. I never knew it was meant to be this way._

_Cloudtail had me believing all the wrong things._

"So what are you going to do with all your money?" Scourge asked. "Well, I guess it's your brother's money. But I'm assuming he's gonna share with you."

"It's actually split seven ways," Jayfeather explained. He thought back to the night when Firestar had brought over the scratch tickets, and how they promised to split the money if by chance one of them won it. "Me, Lionblaze, Hollyleaf, Firestar, Brambleclaw, Longtail and Graystripe are dividing it."

"That sounds so much less cool," Scourge mumbled. "You're only getting just over a hundred thousand each."

"It's still a hundred thousand that I didn't have to work for," Jayfeather said, wondering where Scourges sadness was coming from. _Not very cool my ass. It's really freaking cool._

"Well, spend it wisely," Scourge said, smiling slightly. "I can only imagine what the others are gonna spend their share on."

"Longtails gonna buy weed, Lionblaze is gonna buy video games and stuff for his baby and Firestar… hmm…" Jayfeather pretended to think about it.

"Firestars gonna buy every kind of drug under the sun," Scourge laughed.

"You got it," Jayfeather muttered. _Which will either go one way or the other. You can never really tell with Firestar._

"Well, it's getting pretty late," Scourge said sadly, looking down at his phone. "I should probably go. I have to work early tomorrow."

"It's not late," Jayfeather scoffed, looking down at his phone too. "It's only-oh, two in the morning."

"Exactly," Scourge said, standing up. "Goodnight Jayfeather."

"Goodnight," Jayfeather replied, leaning over and hugging him. "Text me tomorrow."

"Bye," Scourge kissed him quickly and then pulled away, walking over to the door as he pulled on his coat. All of Jayfeathers old anxiety came sputtering back as Scourge kissed him, and he felt his face go red instantly.

_I guess old habits die hard_

* * *

><p>Lionblaze shoved a handful of chips into his mouth, chewing loudly. After several seconds he shoved his hand back in the back, making a loud crackling sound.<p>

"Can you _stop?" _Hollyleaf snapped. "I can't even hear the movie from all your noise."

"Almost done," Lionblaze mumbled, shoving all the chips into his already full mouth. He took the bag and shook the rest of the chips onto his shirt.

"What are you doing?" Hollyleaf sighed, clicking the pause button on the TV. "I can't even concentrate on the movie, I hope you know."

"I won't make any more noise with the chip bag," Lionblaze said defensively, pointing to the chips that were sitting in a pile on his shirt. The sudden movement from his arm made the chips slide off onto the couch and floor. Hollyleaf sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Well it was a good idea for a second," Lionblaze grumbled, leaning down to pick them up.

"You better throw those in the garbage," Hollyleaf said sternly. "They've been on the floor, don't you dare put them in your mouth- aw, Lionblaze. That's disgusting."

"They're still good," Lionblaze grumbled as he shoved them in his mouth.

"I don't want to watch the movie anymore," Hollyleaf said, turning off the TV. "I'm too distracted now."

"Wanna go get some slurpees?" Lionblaze asked excitedly.

"I wanna do something more fun than that," Hollyleaf sighed. "It feels like we haven't gone out in years."

"We went out last week," Lionblaze protested loudly. "Remember when we went out for hamburgers and-"

"I'm not talking going out for hamburgers," Hollyleaf interrupted. "I mean like, when was the last time we went and partied? Wasn't the last time that house party we had when we won the lottery?"

"Yes," Lionblaze said after he thought it over. "Yeah, I remember that being the last time."

"So let's go _do _something!" Hollyleaf cried, jumping off the couch. "Let's go grab Jayfeather and go out tonight! Screw watching movies! We do that all the time!"

"I don't want Dovewing to get mad," Lionblaze said sadly. "Trust me, I want to party just as much as you do but I don't want her to get upset because she can't join in."

"Oh, she won't get mad," Hollyleaf scoffed. "She's chill, Lionblaze. Don't worry about it."

"Are you sure?" Lionblaze asked.

"Positive," Hollyleaf promised. "Now get up and put something that's not sweat pants on."

"Why are you so keen to go party?" Lionblaze asked, narrowing his eyes as he got off the couch. "Usually it's Jayfeather and I who have to convince you, not the other way around."

"I just want to get my mind off work," Hollyleaf said quickly.

"How did it go, by the way?" Lionblaze asked. "Sorry, I forgot to ask. Was today your first day or second?"

"Second," Hollyleaf replied. "They've got me doing all the cleaning since I can't cook. Ashfur told me that he'd teach me one on one when there's no one around so I can learn and not slow down the show."

"Hmm," Lionblaze said, giving her a weird look.

"What?" Hollyleaf said at once, looking stressed out.

"Nothing," Lionblaze said simply. _I wonder if that's the same Ashfur who married Squirrelflight from high school. _

"Why do you look so weird?" Hollyleaf cried.

"I was just thinking to myself," Lionblaze said, wondering why she was getting so defensive. "I knew a girl named Squirrelflight from high school, and she married a guy named Ashfur. I saw it on Facebook. He's like, double her age or something."

"He's not that old," Hollyleaf whispered.

"Well, Squirrelflights our age… so that probably makes him 39 or 40-"

"I'm gonna call Firestar," Hollyleaf interrupted. "He'll be down for hanging out too."

"I like Firestar," Lionblaze said, getting completely distracted. "I better go make some grilled cheese sandwiches for him."

"Okay, go do that," Hollyleaf shooed him away with her hand as she dialed his number. "Hey, Firestar. It's Hollyleaf."

* * *

><p>BEEP BEEP BEEP!<p>

"Firestar must be here," Hollyleaf said, looking out the window. "Who else would make that much noise?"

"I'M READY!" Lionblaze hollered, running into the living room. Hollyleaf sighed as she realized he was wearing red jeans and one of her Christmas patterned sweaters.

"The outfit is terrible," she snapped. "And how many times do I have to tell you not to take shit out of my closet?"

"Oh come on, I love this sweater," Lionblaze whined. "And you never wear it."

"It's a _girls _sweater," Hollyleaf sighed, pointing to the Roxy logo. "Sometimes I wonder-"

BEEP!

"Firestar needs to stop freaking honking," Hollyleaf rolled her eyes. "He's gonna annoy everyone in the neighborhood-"

"Firestars waiting, no time to talk," Lionblaze huffed, charging past her with a zip-lock bag that contained a grilled cheese sandwich. He ripped the door open and waved.

"He's got the whole crew with him," Lionblaze said happily as Hollyleaf followed him outside. "I see Graystripe in the front seat… and Brambleclaw and Longtail in the back! WOOHOO!"

Hollyleaf squinted her eyes at Firestars car, noticing that Firestar did have a lot of people in it. Her hands grew clammy, and her heart sped up a little bit as anxiety began to crawl through her. _Firestar is never up to any good._

_Why am I so eager to hang out with him then?_

Hollyleaf already knew why, but she didn't want to admit it to herself.

_I need to get work off my mind. _

_I need to get Ashfur, off my mind._

_I need to forget about the whole stupid situation_

"HEY HOLLYLEAF! HI LIONBLAZE!" Firestar called out his window, throwing his cigarette butt on her lawn. "Get in the car. We've got quite the night planned."


	3. Wrong Number

Lionblaze Lost the Lightning

Chapter 3: Wrong Number

"So what are we doing?" Hollyleaf asked nervously, taking into account that Firestar had an open beer in the cup holder beside him. "And um… I don't think you should be drinking and driving."

"Chill, Hollyleaf," Firestar grinned, looking over at her as he pulled out of her driveway. Hollyleaf winced as he banged the side of his car on her mailbox. By the look on Firestars face, he either didn't notice or didn't care.

"I don't want to get in an accident," Hollyleaf snapped, clicking off her seat belt so she could reach forward and grab the can. "You can have this back once we get to wherever we're going."

"It's not even beer," Firestar rolled his eyes.

"Oh, then what is it-" Hollyleaf paused to take a sip. She nearly spat it back out all over the top of Graystripes head. "FIRESTAR, THIS IS STRAIGHT VODKA!"

"Told you it wasn't beer," Firestar snickered.

"CAN WE PLEASE STOP ARGUING?" Lionblaze cried out, looking very upset. "I HATE FIGHTING."

"It's all good, buddy," Firestar smiled and looked over at Lionblaze. "What's that in that bag? Is that a grilled cheese?"

"Can you keep your eyes on the road please?" Hollyleaf asked, getting very concerned for her safety. _I'm having a hard time remembering why this was a good idea… we've barely left the driveway and I'm already regretting getting in the car.  
><em>

"Hollyleaf, will you _calm _down?" Firestar sighed twice as loud as necessary. "You're being a buzz kill."

"Sorry," Hollyleaf mumbled. She slumped down in her seat and looked out the window, trying to not focus on Firestar and his bad antics.

"So where's your brother at?" Graystripe asked suddenly, looking behind the seat at her.

"He's at Scourge's house," Lionblaze replied before Hollyleaf could say anything.

"Oh really," Firestar snickered to himself. At once Hollyleaf got defensive.

"What do you mean, _oh really?" _she asked, wondering what was up with his sarcastic tone.

"Nothing," Firestar shrugged. "I just used to know Scourge, that's all. It's funny how Jayfeathers hanging out with him all of the sudden."

"He seems nice to me," Lionblaze said, trying to be helpful. Hollyleaf sighed as she realized he had eaten half the sandwich he had made for Firestar.

"Of course he seems nice," Firestar replied, shooting a glance over at Graystripe. "That's how he reels you in."

Hollyleaf didn't know what to say, so she didn't respond. Firestars words had troubled her, but she didn't know why. Her thoughts were taken back to one of the parties they had had, when Scourge had hung out with Jayfeather all night.

He had texted her after, saying that he wanted to hang out with her alone.

_And to top it off, he put a winky face at the end of the text! _Hollyleaf thought, feeling slightly strange about things. _He was probably just drunk, but I don't know…_

_Why is Firestar being so vague and weird about him?_

"Don't worry about it," Brambleclaw whispered into her ear. "Firestars just being stupid. He won't let go of things that happened like, a zillion years ago."

"What _happened _like a zillion years ago?" Hollyleaf whispered back. Brambleclaw gave her an apologetic look. "It's awkward to talk about," he replied.

"How the heck are we gonna fit any more people in here?" Longtail asked suddenly, distracting Hollyleaf. "We're squished enough back here as it is."

"Hollyleaf can sit on my lap," Firestar said with a sneaky smile on his face.

"No," Hollyleaf said at once.

"I'll get in the trunk," Longtail shrugged. "I wanted to take a nap in there anyway."

_You wanted to take a nap in the trunk? Ugh, whatever. I'm not even gonna comment on that one._

"Kay, Longtail, you can get in there now," Firestar said as he pulled into someone's driveway. Hollyleaf figured it must be Scourges.

"How did you know where he lived?" Hollyleaf asked. _I didn't even know where Scourge lived. _"Did you used to be friends?"  
>"Sure," Firestar mumbled.<p>

"_What's that tone for?" _Hollyleaf cried, getting very annoyed at all the secrecy.

"WHY DO YOU KEEP FIGHTING WITH HIM?" Lionblaze cried out. "THIS IS MAKING ME SAD! AND I WAS SAD ENOUGH BEFORE CAUSE I ACCIDENTALLY ATE THE GRILLED CHEESE I MADE FOR FIRESTAR!"

"Aw, what?" Firestar whined. "I was looking forward to that."

"SEE?" Lionblaze said loudly, looking on the verge of tears. "I FEEL TERRIBLE."

"Firestar, don't make him feel bad," Hollyleaf snapped, tired of Firestars insensitivity. "He didn't have to make you a sandwich at all." Her phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket, and she pulled it out to see who had messaged her.

**Txt from: Jayfeather**

**Why are you and Firestars band of idiots parked in Scourges driveway?**

Hollyleaf forgot her irritation, and laughed. _Oh my god, I forgot to tell him that we were picking him up! _

"Jayfeathers looking at us through the window," Lionblaze announced. "He looks confused."

"I forgot to tell him we were coming to get him," Hollyleaf giggled, for some reason this was extremely funny to her. Firestar looked behind him and smiled, he found it funny too. Hollyleaf suddenly felt bad for being so rude to him. _Firestars Firestar. He is who he is, and I'm the one who called him so I just need to deal with it._

She typed a message back, knowing that Jayfeather was going to be annoyed that they made plans with him without asking. _He can deal with it too!_

**We're going out tonight, **she wrote. **Get in the car**

* * *

><p>Lionblaze sipped at his can of coke, trying to get in the spirit of things. They were partying at Longtails house, and it was in full swing. The cops had already made an appearance and it wasn't even midnight yet.<p>

"Lionblaze, come take some shots with us!" Hollyleaf asked in a very happy tone, standing in front of him.

"I've got a drink right here," Lionblaze explained, holding up his coke can.

"Well, I have a drink _too," _Hollyleaf said drunkenly, holding up her glass of amber whatever. When she lifted it up, it sloshed on the carpet but she didn't seem to notice.

"Come on, Lionblaze! You've been sitting over here all night," Hollyleaf whined, stomping her foot on the ground like a two year old would do. "Are you even drunk?"

"Yeah," Lionblaze lied. _For some reason, I just can't drink tonight. But it's not like a bunch of drunk people would understand that._

He looked down at his phone for what felt like the hundredth time, sighing when he realized Dovewing still hadn't messaged him. _I didn't think she'd get mad at me for going out, _he thought miserably. _She said everything was fine… but I don't believe her._

Lionblaze put his phone back in his pocket and looked at the scene in front of him. Hollyleaf was slamming back shots with Firestar and Brambleclaw, while Longtail sat a few feet away smoking something that wasn't a cigarette. Graystripe was dancing around the living room with a few of Firestars friends that Lionblaze didn't recognize, while Jayfeather was talking to Scourge on one of the couches, holding an entire bottle of who knows what. The music was on full blast, some kind of foreign techno that Lionblaze usually enjoyed.

Tonight, however, it just gave him a headache.

He got up and set his warm half drank coke on the coffee table, grabbing Hollyleafs coat that was draped over a chair. He reached in the pocket and pulled out everything, which consisted of a half empty pack of smokes, a lighter, a ten dollar bill and her car keys.

_I'll just borrow her keys for a bit, _Lionblaze thought to himself. _I'll go spend the night at Dovewings. I miss her. I don't need to be out at some stupid Firestar party when I could be hanging out with her. _He immediately felt bad after using the word 'stupid' and 'Firestar in the same thought. _Firestar, you are not stupid. I love you and you know I'd usually be in the middle of this drunken chaos._

_But tonight I just can't! And I'm leaving!_

Lionblaze put the keys in his pocket and shoved the rest of the stuff back in Hollyleafs jacket. He stood there for a moment, thinking. After a few seconds of afterthought he reached back in her pocket and grabbed the cigarettes and lighter. _I'm gonna borrow these too. _He started to walk away but turned around after a few moments, and he hastily reached into her jacket pocket for the third time. He grabbed the ten dollar bill and stuffed it in his pocket with the rest of her stuff. _I'm gonna wanna some chicken nuggets later and I'm flat broke. Hollyleaf will probably just lose it so in a way I'm doing her a favor. _

He zipped up his sweater and walked out of Longtails house, not bothering to say goodbye. When he got to Hollyleafs red car, he suddenly felt very uneasy.

_I only have my learner's license, _he thought to himself as he lit up a smoke. _I really hope I don't get pulled over! _

* * *

><p>Hollyleaf danced around the living room, holding hands with Firestar and a girl she didn't know. She laughed and screamed along with the music even though it was in a different language and she didn't know the song.<p>

"I'm so happy right now!" she yelled over the bass. "This was such a good idea!"

"Told you so," Firestar smiled at her, his face and lips were bright red from all the drinking. Hollyleaf pulled away from the girl she was holding hands with and hugged Firestar, squeezing him tightly.

"I love you," she said into his shirt.

"I love you too!" Firestar said, eyes lighting up. "Let's get married!"

"Do you mean it?" Hollyleaf gasped, too drunk to care about what they were saying.

"Yes," Firestar nodded his head one too many times. "Right now."

"We can't right now, silly!" Hollyleaf laughed. "It's like, two in the morning!"

"Guess who's getting kicked out as of tomorrow!" Longtail suddenly called out, holding up his phone with a huge grin on his face. "ME!"

Everyone laughed, and Hollyleaf wondered briefly what Longtail was going to say about that when he was sober tomorrow.

_Who cares about tomorrow, _Hollyleaf thought dreamily. _I don't, that's for sure! I want this night to go on forever!_

"Where's Lionblaze?" Firestar asked, looking around. "I haven't seen him in a while."

"I'll call him," Hollyleaf slurred, figuring that that would be easier than searching around. She pulled out her phone, but didn't dial his number. The notification light distracted her, and Hollyleaf realized suddenly that she had a text message.

"Who's texting me at two in the morning?" Hollyleaf said in a silly voice. "Am I popular or what?"

"Who is it?" Firestar asked, looking incredibly jealous. Hollyleaf opened it and squinted her eyes to read the dim lit screen.

**Txt from: 990-864-0135**

"I don't know the number," Hollyleaf said slowly as she opened the message. "Weird!"

**Hey, Hollyleaf. I got your number off the schedule at work. I know it's late, but I had a feeling that you might be awake. It's Ashfur, by the way :) **

After Hollyleaf read the message she sat down at once on the floor, too shaky to find a couch or chair. _Why is Ashfur texting me? _She thought to herself, heart beating way out of control. **Hi Ashfr, **she sent back quickly, realizing after she hit the send button the she spelled his name wrong. _Shit! Why!_

"Why are you sitting on the floor?" Firestar cried out, grabbing her by the arms and lifting her up. "This is no time to be sitting!"

"I got a message from someone that I wasn't expecting to get a message from," Hollyleaf slurred, glad that Firestar was holding her up. _I feel too weak to stand anymore_

"Who was it from?" Firestar asked, looking very concerned. "Tell me, Hollyleaf!"

Hollyleaf stared up into his green eyes, which were redder than the devil from whatever drugs he took. But he didn't look too messed up, and the concern in his eyes was real.

But something in Hollyleaf held her back from saying Ashfurs name.

_What if he knows Squirrelflight?_

_What if he questions why her husband's texting me at two in the morning?_

"Who texted you?" Firestar repeated.

"I don't know," Hollyleaf lied. "They got the wrong number."

It was after this moment Hollyleaf knew her life had changed.


	4. Christmas Lights

Lionblaze Lost the Lightning

Chapter 4: Christmas Lights

"EVERY-BODY'S WORK-ING FOR THE WEEK-END!" Lionblaze sang loudly, singing along to a song on the radio. He paused to grab some chicken nuggets out of the bag on the seat next to him, stuffing them in his mouth with one hand while steering with the other. "EVERY-BODY WANTS A NEW ROMANCE!"

Lionblaze was happy, feeling cheerful that he had left the party to go see his girlfriend. _She'll be so surprised to see me, _Lionblaze thought to himself. _And happy that I saved her- _Lionblaze looked down at the chicken nuggets bag that once held twenty. _Four chicken nuggets. _Lionblaze contemplated this for a few seconds before grabbing another one and eating it. _Make that three._

He drove down the street, feeling excited as he saw all the Christmas lights on the houses. _Christmas is my favorite day of the year! All the lights are so pretty!_

"EVERY-BODYS GO-ING OFF THE DEEP END! EVERY-BODY NEEDS A SEC-OND CHANCE!" Lionblaze cried, getting the tune of the song wrong but not caring. He lit up another smoke, pulling into another street. _Almost there! _By now there was so many Christmas lights, they were starting to reflect in Hollyleafs car mirrors. Lionblaze found them quite distracting, so he turned the music up louder. It was cranked full blast, and Lionblaze hollered along off key.

_Hey, there's a lot of red and blue lights on this street, _Lionblaze thought to himself, looking over at his mirrors which were flashing red and blue. _Seems like people don't know how to pick out a color variety, I'll say. _But something seemed off about the lights, and he squinted at them. _Hang on a second, _he thought, suddenly aware of a siren blaring. _There's no siren in this song, and SHIT THOSE AREN'T CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. FUCK._

He shut the music off at once and chucked the cigarette out the window. He slowed to a halt, pulling over at the side of the road. _I just HAD to get pulled over. Of course. I don't have my N… shit what am I going to do?_

Lionblaze took a few deep breaths, trying to prevent himself from having a panic attack. His palms were so sweaty that they left marks on the leather steering wheel. Lionblaze watched out of the corner of his eye as a mean looking police man stepped out of his car, and made his way over.

"Open the window please," the cop said sternly, knocking on it with his fists.

"What?" Lionblaze called, stalling for time. _Shit. I need to think of a way to get out of this, and I need to think of it NOW. Ugh, but my mind is so blank!_

"OPEN THE WINDOW," the cop barked, knocking louder. Lionblaze waited a good five seconds before opening it a crack.

"Hello there," He said through the tiny slit in the window. "How are you this evening-"

"ALL THE WAY DOWN!" The cop yelled, looking very angry. Lionblaze rolled it down all the way, feeling terribly stressed out. He wished he didn't throw his smoke out the window. _Man, Hollyleafs going to kill me if I get her car taken away! And I'm going to lose my learners license… and possibly go to jail. Think, Lionblaze… Firestars been pulled over countless times and usually seems to get away with it. What would he do in this situation?_

"Have you been drinking tonight?" the cop asked, leaning his head in the car. "Any open liquor in the car?"

"No," Lionblaze mumbled. The cop seemed satisfied by this, and Lionblaze thanked his lucky stars he didn't drink anything.

"What are you up to this evening?" the cop asked.

"I've been eating these chicken nuggets," Lionblaze replied quickly, pointing to the bag on the passenger's seat. "I was just driving to my girlfriend's house."

"I noticed you threw something out the window before you stopped," the cop said suspiciously, narrowing his eyes and crossing his arms. "What was it?"

_Crap… Ugh, if I say it was my smoke, he's automatically going to think it was a joint! _

"It was a chicken nugget," Lionblaze mumbled.

"You mean to tell me," the cop said slowly, in an exaggerated tone. "That you tossed a _chicken nugget _out the window when you noticed me pulling you over?"

"That is correct," Lionblaze said, nodding his head yes.

"So if I go over there," the cop pointed to a little ways from where they were parked. "I will find a chicken nugget on the ground?"

"Yeah," Lionblaze said, feeling nervous all over again. _Dammit, there's no chicken nugget over there. _

_What would Firestar do?_

"Let me show you," Lionblaze said, opening the door quickly on purpose. It knocked into the cop, and he crouched over, holding his knee and yelling.

"YOU STAY IN THE CAR!" the cop screamed. "GET OUT AND I'LL SHOW YOU HOW MY TASER WORKS!"

"Sorry about that," Lionblaze said. As the cop examined his knee, Lionblaze quickly reached in the bag and grabbed a nugget. He whipped it out the window.

"I'm going to go look," the cop said, getting up as soon as Lionblazes arm was back in the car. "Don't move an inch."

"Kay," Lionblaze said, feeling slightly less stressed. _I think I managed to pull it off… Firestar will be so proud when I tell him about this!_

A few moments later, the cop came back, shaking his head in disbelief. "There was a chicken nugget over there," he sighed angrily. "Sorry for bothering you."

"So can I go now?" Lionblaze asked hopefully.

"One more thing," the cop said, raising an eyebrow at Lionblaze. "License and registration."

_Oh shit. What do I do now?_

"TODAY," the cop yelled when Lionblaze didn't move or say anything. Lionblaze reached in and took out his wallet, moving painfully slow. His mind was kicked into overdrive, every last nerve thinking about how to get out of the situation.

His eyes suddenly looked down; the car door was still open. Right under the open door was a water grate.

_What would Firestar do?_

"Here it is, officer," Lionblaze said, pulling out his library card but holding it so you couldn't see the front. The cop opened his hand expectantly, glaring at him.

"It's a pretty bad photo," Lionblaze lied, holding it up so he could see it but not the cop. "And on the back it says I have brown hair, when I quite obviously have blonde hair-"

As Lionblaze turned it around to pretend to read it, he fumbled with it and dropped it.

"OH NO!" Lionblaze cried, pretending to try and grab it. He was too slow, and the card fell into the grate and into the water below.

"Seriously-" the cop sighed and looked down as the card was washed away. "That's unfortunate."

"You're telling me," Lionblaze said in an annoyed tone. "Now I should probably go home and park my car, considering my license is gone now."

"Usually I'd have to impound your car," the cop said slowly. "But given the circumstances, I'll let you drive it home. But make sure you leave your car there until you can go and get a new license card."

"Okay," Lionblaze said.

"Sorry for wasting your time," the cop said, looking uncomfortable. He quickly walked away back to his car. Lionblaze had to force himself not to start grinning like an idiot until the cop drove away.

_I can't believe I just did that_


	5. (You're) Too Sweet

Lionblaze Lost the Lightning

Chapter 5: (You're) Too Sweet

_a/n: So since I'm writing Apprentice and Pregnant 2 also, I type Firepaw out of habit instead of Firestar. I've had to correct myself so many times when I'm writing this story lol_

* * *

><p>Lionblaze pulled into Dovewings driveway, wincing as he accidentally drove onto her lawn a bit. He looked out his window, hoping he didn't tear up the grass. A giant tire track met his view.<p>

_They won't notice, _he told himself as he parked the car. He looked at Dovewings house, wondering which window led to her room. He locked the car and got out, grabbing his coat and putting it on. _It's freaking cold out tonight! _He wished he brought a better jacket than Hollyleafs raincoat; he zipped up the zipper all the way to the top with shaking fingers. He felt his pocket vibrate suddenly, and he pulled out his phone.

**Txt from: Hollyleaf**

**Did you take all my smokes and money?**

Lionblaze could barely type with his cold fingers, but he managed to send a quick reply anyway.

**Idk**

Lionblaze looked at the clock on his phone, realizing it was nearly two in the morning. _Ugh, why is Hollyleaf still up? _He thought to himself, feeling worried. _She KNOWS she works tomorrow, and she's gonna be hungover and tired all day. _

Lionblaze put up his hood on the jacket, which had fur around the edges. It was Hollyleafs favorite coat, and she never let Lionblaze borrow it. _It was really expensive; _Hollyleafs voice rang in his ears. _You'd just spill coffee or juice on it and you know it. Why the hell do you want to borrow it anyways? It's obviously a girl's coat!_

His phone vibrated again, distracting him.

**Txt from: Hollyleaf.**

**What do you mean, **_**you don't know? **_**And where the heck is my car?**

Lionblaze didn't really know how to explain himself so he didn't reply. _If she asks later I'll just say I had bad service. _He walked closer to Dovewings house, trying to figure out which window was hers. He swore as he stubbed his toe on a lawn ornament, kicking it a few feet away. _Shit. I'm gonna wake up everyone in her goddamn house. _He walked around a bit more, noticing one of the windows had a light on. There was purple curtains, and a bunch of pop cans on the windowsill. _That must be hers. I think she has purple curtains… Probably. _He picked up a few rocks, throwing them at the window. They clanged off way louder than he thought they would, and he swore again.

"Dovewing!" Lionblaze half whispered and half yelled, hoping he wouldn't wake her dad up. "Dovewing, open your window!"

He threw some more rocks, reaching into his pocket to look at his phone again.

**5 txt messages from: Hollyleaf**

He ignored it and grabbed her smokes, lightning one up as he continued to throw rocks at the window. They clattered off and landed in the flower pots below. He was just reaching down to pick up some more when the window opened. Lionblaze's smile turned to a look of horror when he realized it was Dovewings dad.

"Lionblaze?" The dad said sleepily, putting on his glasses and squinting his eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, ah," Lionblaze chucked the smoke away at once. "Good morning. I thought this was Dovewings room."

"Is there something wrong with the door?" Her dad sighed loudly, rubbing his forehead. "Lionblaze, it's two in the morning. Are you drunk?"

"No," Lionblaze replied. "I didn't drink anything. I just wanted to see Dovewing… sorry about all the rocks."  
>"It's fine," the dad mumbled. "Just come on in, Lionblaze. The doors unlocked."<p>

"Thanks," Lionblaze said, happy that he wasn't mad. He ran around the house again and walked in the front door, hanging up Hollyleafs coat on the hanger. The dad walked over, looking very tired. He yawned and looked over at the coat hangers.

"That's a nice coat," he commented, touching the brown fake fur. "Where'd you get this?"

"It's actually my sisters," Lionblaze said proudly.

"Very nice," the dad mumbled, pulling his hands away. He looked over at Lionblaze, looking awkward. "Dovewings sleeping right now," he said slowly. "Do you want to just sleep over? You can hang out with her in the morning."

"I guess," Lionblaze said, looking down. "I'm sorry for coming over so late. It's just… well…"

"You were at a party," the dad finished his sentence for him. "I already know, Lionblaze. She told me."

"She was upset, wasn't she," Lionblaze whispered. The dad shrugged, looking down. Lionblaze knew what the answer was and he didn't even have to say anything.

"That's why I'm not mad that you threw rocks at my window and woke me up," the dad smiled a slow half smile, looking at Lionblaze with kind eyes. "I'd much rather have you over here than out drinking and doing drugs somewhere. It shows a strong character on your part, Lionblaze. I'm proud of you."

"Oh," Lionblaze said in surprise, not expecting that at all. "Well, thank you."

"How about we go make some coffee and play a game," the dad offered, walking away in the direction of the kitchen. "I'm wide awake now anyway."

"Sure!" Lionblaze kicked off his shoes and followed him, taking a seat at the kitchen table.

"Where was the party, anyway?" the dad asked as he shook some coffee grinds into a filter. "Ivypool mentioned that a boy she knows was having a party tonight, but I didn't let her go."

"Probably a good choice," Lionblaze mumbled, feeling embarrassed. He had completely forgotten Dovewing had an older sister. "Who was having the party?"

"His name is Firestar," the dad sighed, rolling his eyes. "The kids nothing but trouble. I've known him since he was very young, and I swear he only gets worse."

"Oh," Lionblaze looked down, thinking of Firestar and how much he liked him. "Yeah, he's known to um, cause a commotion sometimes."

"I know," the dad said simply. "I've seen your Facebook pictures."

Lionblaze took a deep breath, knowing very well that that could be bad. He had an entire album dedicated to him and Firestar, usually drunker than hell. The dad finished the coffee and set a cup down in front of Lionblaze. He sat down across the table from him, and looked at him with sad eyes. The mention of Firestar had made Lionblaze sad too; he sat and swirled the coffee around in the cup, staring at it.

"When this baby comes," the dad said slowly. "How are you going to support it?"

"Well," Lionblaze thought hard, realizing he had nothing to show for himself. "Um…"

"You live in your sister's house," the dad started, voice stern. "You drive your sister's car. She pays the rent. She buys your food. And that lottery money isn't going to last forever. When this child is born, how are you going to pay for it?"

Lionblaze swirled the coffee more, splashing a little out of the cup. It burned his hands but he didn't care. His anxiety grew by the second as he realized he didn't have an answer.

"Are you planning on living with your brother and sister forever?" the dad continued, crossing his arms. "Is the baby going to be raised in that house, where you smoke indoors and have parties twice a week?"

"I…" Lionblaze's voice broke off, and his hands grew clammy. He started shivering, suddenly feeling like he was standing out in the cold again. _I feel horrible, _Lionblaze thought to himself. _He's right… I don't have anything going on to support a child. And I'm expected to, because Dovewing is still in school… Oh, why have I put off thinking about this until now?_

"I know you don't have an answer, so I don't expect one," the dad said at last. "I really like you Lionblaze. You have a gentle heart and a kind soul. I just worry sometimes. Your sister can't take care of you forever."

* * *

><p>"Hollyleaf, wake up," Firestar said, half asleep as he shoved Hollyleaf a few times. Hollyleaf groaned and rolled over, nearly falling off the couch. Her back hurt, and she reached under her to find an empty beer can.<p>

"You gotta go to work," Firestar said, shaking her again. "Come on. I'll drive you."

"What time is it," Hollyleaf asked, sitting up groggily. She pulled on her green sweater that was laying on the floor, and combed her fingers through her hair.

"You look awful," Firestar said in a pleasant voice.

"Gee, thanks," Hollyleaf glared at him, but stopped when she realized he looked downright _haggard. _His eyes were red and bloodshot, with black bags under them. His lips were a little too red, matching his cheeks. His shoulder length orange hair stuck out from under a black toque, and he was wearing a gray hoodie that was at least four sizes too big.

"You look as bad as I feel," Hollyleaf giggled. Firestar smiled at her, not caring at all that he looked like crap.

"I woke you up an hour early," Firestar said. "Just in case you wanted to have a shower before you go to work."

"That was considerate of you," Hollyleaf said in total surprise. _Firestars acting WAY out of character… waking me up early, offering me a ride… what's going on_

"I'm gonna clean up while you get ready," Firestar said, kicking cans under the couch as he spoke. "I have no clue where Longtail is, but he probably won't appreciate his house looking this shitty. The shower doesn't work very well by the way, so you gotta smack it a few times."  
>"Okay," Hollyleaf said, getting up off the couch. As she stood up, her hangover kicked in full blast; making her want to fall over and throw up at the same time.<p>

"Ugh, we drank too much last night," she mumbled.

"It was a good fucking party," Firestar replied, throwing more cans behind a chair. Hollyleaf walked into the bathroom, realizing that a shower was a really good idea. She shoved a bunch of clutter off the bathtub ledge and took off her clothes; realizing Firestar wasn't exaggerating about the shower not working. She whacked the rusty shower nozzle a few times, shrieking as it started spurting out ice cold water. She got out at once, waiting for it to warm up.

"Do you need any help?" Firestar asked from behind the door.

"DON'T COME IN!" Hollyleaf screamed, realizing that that was unnecessary because the door was locked. "I have no clothes on."

"Chill," Firestar said in an exaggerated voice. Hollyleaf relaxed as she heard him walk away. She put her hand out in front of the shower water to test it again, wincing.

Now it was scalding hot.

* * *

><p>Hollyleaf climbed into the passenger seat of Firestars dark blue car, kicking trash out of the way to make room. Beside her, Firestar swore as he tried to start it. The car made some groaning sounds, but it wouldn't work.<p>

"Maybe it's like the shower," Hollyleaf said, trying to make a joke. "Just smack it a few times."

Firestar whacked it with his hands, beating the poor car as if it owed him money. He turned the key again, and nodded as it started.

"Nice," he smiled, looking behind him as he pulled out of the driveway. Hollyleaf reached into her pocket, rolling her eyes as she realized Lionblaze had her smokes still. _Stupid Lionblaze, just takes all my stuff._

"Excited for work?" Firestar asked, looking over at her.

"No," Hollyleaf said. _Nervous, maybe. I haven't seen Ashfur since my interview. _"What have you got planned for the day?"

"I'm probably just gonna go hang out at Brambleclaws house," Firestar said, picking up the half empty beer can that was in the cup holder. Hollyleaf realized with a jolt that it was the same can that was filled with vodka that she had seen yesterday. She looked over sadly at Firestar, wishing he didn't feel the need to drink before noon. Then to her surprise, Firestar opened the window and threw it out.

She stared at him in awe.

"What?" Firestar asked, glancing at her awkwardly. "Don't start harping on me about wasting alcohol. If you wanted it, you shoulda said something."

"No, I didn't want it," Hollyleaf said slowly, feeling as though she was looking at him with a new light. Firestar glanced over again, his red hair almost covering his green eyes. "I just didn't want that shit in my car, okay?" he said quickly, turning his eyes back to the road. "By the way, I made you some coffee."

Hollyleaf stared in even more awe as Firestar reached behind him and grabbed a thermos that was sitting on the back seat. He handed it to Hollyleaf as they pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant.

"Thanks for the ride," Hollyleaf said gratefully. _Wow, I can't get over this! What happened to Firestar? Where's the not caring, swearing every second word asshole that I'm used to?_

"See ya," Firestar said as she got out of the car. "Don't work any harder than I would."

She waved as he sped away, shaking her head as he drifted out of the parking lot like he was in a racing movie, nearly hitting three different people in the process. _There's the old Firestar._

She climbed the steps into the restaurant, taking a sip of the coffee Firestar had made. At once her face twisted up, and she nearly spat it back out.

It was far too sweet.


End file.
